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Show lune 17,1999 Original' By Capt. James R. Widow recounts unit's pas B Icicle Wilson 388th FW Public Affairs Office Past and present members of the 421st Fighter Squadron interested in the long and storied past of the unit need look no farther than the bright lights and flashing neon signs of the city of Las Vegas. Col. Howard "Doc" Blanchard, now a Las Vegas resident, was with the unit when it was initially activated in May of 1943 making him one of the first members to ever serve with the squadron. "I was a comunications officer when I first entered the unit, but I ended up doing numerous other jobs along the way to ensure we were able to meet our mission," said Colonel Blanchard. "When I showed up, there were eight enlisted members, myself, a mop and a bucket. We gave a whole new meaning to the phrase 'self sufficient.'" According to Colonel Blanchard, the duties of the communications officer in the Air Force then closely resembled that of base civil engineers today. "Early on, I was responsible for everything that was electrical," he said. "I took care of camp lighting which was a major undertaking given our lack of supplies. The Army's Corps of Engineers were pretty good about providing support to us, but they were often busy building runways out of dirt roads." The 421st Night-FightSquadron was originally activated in Orlando, Fla. After a mere six months of flight training, the squadron arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea ready to prove its mettle as a combat fighting force. "In many ways, our unit was a laughing stock when we were first stood up," said the Yale graduate. "We were flying the Douglas P-aircraft that had been converted for night flying and we only had four of them initially. Lots of people didn't really take us too seriously in the beginning, but we turned that around pretty quick." For the next 14 months, the squadron and its detachments moved several times throughout New Guinea providing cover for U.S. Army assault landings and shipping reconnaissance. The unit also flew patrols and engaged in bombing and strafing missions while protecting various new air bases. "Things started looking up for us when we received the 111! is. photo by 2nd Lt Nikki Credic Lt. Col. Rusty Walden, 42 st Fighter Squadron operations officer, shares a laugh with Col. Howard Blanchard on the flightline at Nellis AFB, Nev. The 421st FS was participating in a Green Flag exercise at Nellis AFB earlier this year. 1 er the real Black Widow," said the Worcester, Mass., native. "That was the first time folks really saw the lethality of the night fighter. We were soon viewed as hot rods and the front line of defense for the entire South Pacific. " Colonel Blanchard had the opportunity recently to meet several current squadron members when the unit deployed to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. in support of a Green Flag exercise. The visit was well received by those who had the chance to meet with the colonel and hear stories of the squadron's many past feats. "Doc Blanchard is the single individual most responsible for keeping the squadron's history alive," said Lt. Col. Jeff Harrell, 421st FS commander. "He's done a great job of preserving our history by gathering information and ensuring previous squadron members are keeping in touch with one another." Northrop 70 . P-6- 1 hos pital Abb e Village visits 388th Fighter Wing VA I By Airman 1st Class Cindy Huston Editor, Fighter Country Patients from the Veterans Hospital in Salt Lake City and residents from the Apple Village retirement home in Layton visited the 388th Fighter Wing Friday the watch to and Thunderbirds Golden Knights practice for Saturday's Air Show. "It was important to have them out here to share and show them the service they fought for and means so much to them is still alive and well," said Mrs. Judy Lemmons, 388th FW chief of protocol. three-hou- r The 388th FW visit appeared to be mutually beneficial. "Just seeing the looks on their faces made the effort worth it," she said. According to Mrs. Lemmons, the events offered an oppor tunity for these citizens to had. view the performances they might no have otherwise too been "The day of the air show would have folks in conditions that long and hot and put these said Mrs. wouldn't have been good for any of them, Lemmons. . a controlled environment offered events "Today's pre-sho- w so they could just come out and enjoy the show," she added. The VA hospital and the Apple Village retirement home have both been "adopted" by the 388th FW, according to several members who volunteered as escorts for the visit. "These folks are good people who love the Air Force and love the military," said Tech. Sgt. Craig Nielson, 388th FW chief of wing personnel. "We felt since they listen to our jet noise on a daily basis we would show them where all that noise was coming from," he added. Each of the squadrons within the wing rotates to visit the VA hospital on a monthly basis. Each visit has a set theme, for example, Halloween, Labor Day, Fourth of July, etc. According to Sergeant Nielson, there are plans to begin coordinating with the activity coordinator at Apple Village to spend one day in the fall and a day in the summer with their residents. The opportunity to meet one of the squadron's original members furthered the intent of current Black Widow's to uncover its past. "We're always trying to build up our tradition and learn about the things that were started before us. Doc is a direct link with our tradition. Our folks were extremely impressed with him." The former Black Widow had high praise for those currently serving in the squadron. "These guys are sharp and they're a part of a really good outfit," said the colonel. "I am just as proud of the follow-o- n 42 1 st units as I am of the original squadron. I brag about the deeds of the 421st in Vietnam, Persian Gulf, etc., whenever I have the opportunity. Their dedication to country and trust in each other distinguishes them from those in the outside world." TRADITION FromPageB she are symbolically filling the position of honor. Another example of a time honored custom is the hand salute. The custom of the hand salute is so old that its origins are uncertain. Some historians say it began in late Roman times when assassinations were common. In those days, citizens who wanted to see a public official had to approach with their right hand raised to show that they held no weapons. knights in armor raised their visors their right hand when meeting a com This practice gradually became a way of showing respect. Just as important as rendering a salute is the fashion in which it is rendered. A crisp, sharp salute displays pride in ourselves our Air Force and our country. On the other hand, failure to render a salute or rendering a sloppy one shows a which are so vital to lack of confidence and our profession. . Finally, we come to the fomal retreat cermony. The bugle call sounded at retreat was first used in the French Army and dates back to the time of the Crusades. It is said that when you hear the music of the retreat bugle call, you are listening to a beautiful melody that symbolizes the finest qualities of all soldiers of the last 900 years. So, when you hear the unmistakable sound of our national anthem or To the Colors, render the proper respect by facing the flag or the music and popping a crisp, smart salute. Reflect on so many countless other who came before you who can't. tempo and personnel tempo, along personnel and financial re Operations it extremely difficult to accomplish our mission, which nowadays can take us anywhere in the world at any time. So what holds us together? A sense of pride and a sense of purpose, along with deep and the overwhelming desire to dedication, ensure our Air Force has no rival. Military traditions, customs and courtesies and drill and ceremonies are an inexorable part of who we are. Let's embrace them as we embrace our profession. They make us strong and mold us into a team that can go out and defeat any enemy! Later, self-discipli- ne - self-discipli- ne |
